Konica Minolta Announces Portfolio Expansion at Ipex 2014

Konica Minolta has today at Ipex 2014 announced its further reach into new markets by portfolio expansion, as it continues to build business opportunities for the commercial printing sector.

At Ipex in London’s ExCel from March 24-29, Konica Minolta is showing how it is exploiting digital short-run packaging markets with demonstrations of its KM-1 B2+ UV inkjet colour press for digital short-run production. It will enable commercial printers to expand their print applications with larger sheet sizes for 3-panel and 4-panel brochures, pocket folders, posters, point-of-purchase graphics, dust jackets, wrap-around book covers and even light packaging applications at the speed of up to 3,300 sheets per hour. The KM-1 is the ideal solution for fast turnaround, high quality and reliable colour printing.

Konica Minolta continues to strengthen its position in Production Printing as number one in the mid-production colour print systems. At its press conference at Ipex 2014 the company stated that it also wants to become the number one in that segment in terms of print volume. At the show, Konica Minolta gives insights regarding its strategy to move forward. Current infoSource figures for fiscal year 2013 show that Konica Minolta has further strengthened its number one position in the European Production Printing market. In Western Europe the company has achieved a market share of 54 % (MIF) and its position in the Eastern European market is even more impressive: With a market share of 65 % (MIF), Konica Minolta is the obvious market leader.

In another technology showcase, the company is demonstrating roll-to-roll label printing at up to 18m/min with its Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS C70RLC.

Building on the cooperation after acquiring a 10% stake in MGI Digital Graphic Technology (MGI), Konica Minolta is running on its stand an MGI product to provide value-added jet varnishing. The special product – adding 3D or traditional flat spot UV coating using inkjet heads – can be used for offset or digital printed material on traditional paper and even on broader substrates such as plastics, banners and envelopes

On Konica Minolta’s stand (N1 C130) will be software covering workflow connectivity and automation, web-to-print, colour management, as well as 12 running systems. These will include for the first time at Ipex the bizhub PRESS C1100, the new colour flagship with a speed of 100 pages per minute targeting the commercial print, print-for-pay and central CRD markets, and due for launch later in 2014.

Throughout Ipex, Konica Minolta has industry experts on its stand as part of its commitment to show visitors how they can have clear growth path using value-added services and digital solutions via a multitude of workflows, applications, and products.

At the press conference, Olaf Lorenz, General Manager, International Marketing Division, Konica Minolta Business Solutions Europe GmbH, said: “The “classical” digital business from commercial and industrial printers is moving from analogue to digital – with numerous opportunities from which additional business can be generated. While the offset market still covers 107 billion Euro of revenue, digital only covers 7.7 billion Euro. Digital colour print is set to experience a compound annual growth rate of about four per cent until 2017. With this knowledge, Konica Minolta decided to expand its reach into new markets and increase its product portfolio, as we are committed to the printing industry and convinced it has a bright future.”